Chelsea grabbed a 2-0 win in their first leg round of 16 Champions League clash against Lille, without Romelu Lukaku on the field of play.
The Striker made only nine touches in their league game against Crystal Palace on the weekend and didn’t even come off the bench against the French side Lille.
After the game, Thomas Tuchel admitted that a combination of fatigue and his poor display against the Eagles were the reasons for his absence.
“I think Lukaku was a bit tired, because he has played a lot, extra-time and travelling,” Tuchel told BT Sport.
“Also, it wasn’t his best game against Crystal Palace, so it’s better that he was on the bench and could change the game from there.”
